Walking-tread attachment for ice skates



Feb. 26, 1946'. E, J CARLSQN 2,395,394

WALKING-TREAD ATTACHMENT FOR ICE SKATES Filed Feb. 5, 1944 .Ernzsa 3. Carlson 'Z'mnentor (Ittomegcv Patented Feb. 26, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5,395,394 WALKING TBEAD ATTACHMENT F01;

ICE SKATES Ernest Jv-Carlson, Reading, Pa. Appiieation February 5, 1944, Serial No. 521,214

2 Claims. (01. 280-1138) My invention relates to an attachment for ice skates ofthe type employed to protect the runner blade and form a suitable tread to facilitate walking while wearing the skates.

More particularly my invention consists in an improved construction of such skate attachment, my object being to provide an improved and siniplified, neat appearing, and fully effective device that may be practically made of material free of any priority requirements, and that will insure greater comfort and more natural ease for Walking while wearing the skates.

With these main objects in view, my invention consists in the new and improved construction of such walking tread attachment for ice skates as will be more fully described hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawing, and the novel features thereof defined in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 indicates, in side view, a skate attached to a shoe, and shows a longitudinal sectional view of my walking tread attachment as applied to said skate runner blade.

Fig. 2 is a separate side elevation of my Walking tread attachment.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the tread shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the tread shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing in an exaggerated manner the bending of the tread plate as effected in clampingly engaging the attachment to a skate runner blade.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 indicates a shoe I, having secured thereto a skate 2, in usual manner.

And my walking tread attachment for said shoe secured skate, as shown, is made up of two similar tread blocks 5, 5, held in longitudinally spaced relation by a tread plate 6. These tread blocks 5, 5, may be made of wood, plastic, or other light weight and suitable material, free of any supply restrictions, and they are shown with flat top surfaces 1, I, and curved bottom surfaces 8, 8, extending lengthwise and forming curved bearing surfaces for the tread plate 5, which is shown as of relatively thin and bendable material and readily conformably curved and secured to said block surfaces 8, 8, as by screws 9, 9, preferably arranged adjacent the side edges of said plate 6.

The tread blocks 5, 5, are normally spaced apart to form a slot Ill, adapted to freely receive the skate runner blade 2, as seen in Fig. 1, and this sl'ot It is open atboth "ends to accommodate overlength runner blades-when required. And to prevent undue wear on tread "plate '6 fromthe skate blade, and to insure a firm seat for the latter in slot I0, and also to accommodate blades having a straight runner edge or a curved edge not conforming to the curve of the tread plate 5, I have shown bearing rest plates I5, I5, set into the blocks 5, 5, and seating on tread plate 6 adjacent its front and rear ends, and extending transversely across the slot Ill, so that any runner blade 2 may be firmly seated thereon against any tendency to rock or move.

To secure my attachment to the skate runner blade 2 entered into slot I0, I have shown ears I8, I 8', secured to or integrally formed on the outer faces of blocks 5, 5, and extending above the latter and adapted to receive clamping means, shown as a bolt I9, entered in apertures in said ears and having a thumb-nut 20 on one end.

The blocks 5, 5, are desirably of a depth to receive only the runner blade 2, and permit their ears i8, I8, to extend above the latter so the bolt I9 may pass above said blade 2 beneath the shoe I, thus requiring but a minimum of material and producing a pleasing appearance free of any clumsy suggestion, while giving ample protection to said blade and forming an adequate walking tread. The bearing rest plates I5, I5, insure position and firm rest for any runner blade, without wearing contact with tread plate 6. The curved surfaces 8, 8, and conforming curve of tread plate 6, provide an essential lengthwise rocker tread necessary to make walking more comfortable and natural. And this comfortable longitudinal rocker surface of tread plate 6, is further improved, to avoid any feeling of walking on stilts, by a cross flexing of tread plate 6 to form a transverse rocker surface, produced in my construction by clampingly engaging tread plates 5, 5, to an interposed skate blade. In Fig. 5 I have indicated my tread blocks 5, 5, in vertical normally spaced relation to loosely receive a skate blade, and having upwardly extending ears I8, I8, connected by a clamping bolt I9, positioned, as seen in Figs. 1 to 4, intermediate the length of blocks 5, 5. In Fig. 6, I have indicated, much exaggerated, the action of tightened bolt I5, acting to inwardly tilt the upper ends of blocks 5, 5, to engage a skate blade, and to curvingly flex tread plate 6, fixed to them, so as to form a cross bend or transverse rocker surface in said tread plate. Tread plate 6, as previously stated, is made of relatively thin and bendable material and is secured to blocks 5, 5, by screws 9, 9, located adjacent the side edges of said plate, so it will be obvious that, under tension of bolt [9, tread plate 6 may readily flex to form said transverse rocker surface, and the extent lengthwise of said blocks of said flexed curve will depend on the bendable nature of tread B.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that my walking tread attachment may be economically manufactured of non-essential material, is of neat appearance, fully protects the skate runner and provides an improved and more comfortable walking tread curving both longitudinally and transversely to facilitate normal walking. And it may be simply and quickly attached and detached by any clamping means not necessarily limited to the screw bolt shown, and when detached it forms a small light package for carrying.

What I claim is:

1. A walking-tread attachment for the runner blade of an ice skate, which comprises, a relatively thin and bendable tread plate, a pair of normally vertical tread blocks spaced apart to receive between them a runner blade of a skate and having longitudinally curved bottom surfaces fixedly secured to and conformingly bending said tread plate so as to form a longitudinal rocker surface in the latter, blade rest bearing plates on the inner surface of said tread plate adjacent its front and rear ends and extending transversely across the skate blade receiving space between said tread blocks, and blade engaging clamping means connecting said tread blocks intermediate their ends adapted to inwardly tilt top edge portions of said tread blocks into clamping engagement against an interposed skate blade, and to curvingly flex the tread plate beneath said blocks so as to form a transverse rocking surface in the latter.

2. In the construction set forth in claim 1, said blade engaging clamping means comprising ears on the outer faces of said tread blocks extending above thetop surfaces of the latter, and a screw bolt connecting said ears and acting to inwardly;

tilt top portions of said tread blocks into skate blade contacting engagement.

' ERNEST J. CARLSON. 

